British Columbia has entered the final two weeks of the election campaign and so far, it’s been underwhelming, according to one UBC political scientist.
Max Cameron thinks none of the major parties have nailed down a clear definition of what they stand for, adding it’s been a mishmash of promises with lots of money being thrown around, but no attainable solutions to major problems such as the high cost of living, health care, housing, and public safety.
He’s giving both the BC NDP and BC Conservatives a B or C grade.
“I don’t think either are doing that well,” he told 1130 NewsRadio.
Cameron says the NDP is hoping people remember what they did in office before the campaign began and riding that wave to another win. However, the party has faced some backlash during the campaign.
“It’s not entirely clear to me that this is the consequence of anything specific the NDP has done, more it’s a sense the NDP hasn’t done enough, for example, to make sure if we have safe streets, to make sure housing is affordable,” Cameron explained.
“You have to recognize there are limits to what the NDP can do on housing affordability, it’s really a lack of federal investment over many decades.”
He encourages people to go down a rabbit hole of research on the Conservatives, reminding people latter has a number of candidates who have never held office.
“Naturally, you look around for alternatives and here we’ve got, in the shape of the BC Conservatives a party and a leader who clearly wants to move the province in a very different direction.”
Cameron isn’t sure voters realize how much is riding on who they choose.
“It strikes me that the public has not ‘clicked’ or really understood the moment that we’re in. This is a dramatic moment in British Columbia politics. I think best defined as a critical juncture,” he shared. “I think in some sense it’s just a general sense of malaise. I think we see that federally and provincially.”
He worries people, out of frustration and unhappiness with any leader, won’t vote at all.
“Just a few months ago, it looked as if the NDP was going to sail into victory and now there’s a very close race, possibly with the Conservatives having the edge.”
Cameron says in the final two weeks, the parties will have to double down and try to convince people they can make a realistic change in office.
“You need to give people a reason to vote and find an issue that gives you real traction, something you can commit yourself to that gets them to vote.”
Leaders of the NDP, Conservatives, and BC Greens will face off in a debate on Tuesday evening.
Election day is Oct. 19. Advance voting stations are open from Oct. 10 to 16 but will be closed on Thanksgiving Monday.